writing thoughts

[cornerofmadness]

After seeing the word nano bantered about last week I had to go look it up...hmm writing a 50,000 word novel in a month. I've been since trying to figure out the advantages of this and have to admit I see very few beyond, the novel's done...and even that's not really true. Most publishers/agents won't look at anything under 75,000. In a month you'll get 50,000 words, most of it shit, no doubt. The site readily admits that. This isn't something you could shove on a resume. I'm not sure an agent would be impressed you whipped something out in a month (okay granted no one is going to just submit it after this, everyone would, one imagines, then take the time to fiddle with it and improve it, add those 25,000 words that are needed etc).

Okay so I have a novel. I've also deprived myself of the basic joy of writing one, ie. watching the characters grow, spending time with them and relishing their story. Does this reflect in the writing? I'm sure it would. Oh course, probably one of the points of this whole exercise is to get away from enjoying hte characters so much you never finish you novel. THat happens a lot.

So would i try this? I don't know. I know I can write 50,000 words in a month. I routinuely write 30-50K every month, mostly fan crap that gets me nowhere but its fun and I like doing it but sometimes it is at the cost of my original fic.

I think my biggest concern with this exercise is what happens afterwards. Those on my flist who have done this before, can you tell me, do they plan on putting this up on their site somewhere? (I tried to find it but when your dial up slows to 2 kbps on a regular basis, it's not possible to navigate anything. If they do, then absolutely not. I wouldn't do this. Posting entire novels (or links there to) can take you out of the running for ever selling the thing and there's not point in writing it (for me) if I couldn't market it.

On the other hand, if they don't post it, it could be an interesting exercise even though I know I probably have enough commitments already that I wouldn't get it done.

Comments

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I had enough confidence to do creative writing in high school and at least submit short stories for a grade in an independent study I was doing at that time. Then I went on to psychology, philosophy, computer science, all sorts of non-writing fields. Which I don't regret, really, they gave me something to write about (I always set things in academia, even "The Destroyer" [lol]), and I have a PhD in philosophy I'm proud of (have you visited my website yet?)

But fiction writing was my first love, and I gave up a tenure track job in philosophy to spend more time on it. I've taken several fiction workshops where I did manage to submit chapters from my novel to the group. And I did work through an entire draft of my novel one-on-one with an editor (it was the 4th draft).

I feel after my experience with that editor that I know when something is constructive criticism and when it's not, or more accurately, I feel confident that I know when someone's got a point and when they don't.

But up until now, I haven't done large public airings of my fiction. My non-fiction, sure. I have a couple of academic philosophy articles out there, and I have a huge BtVS/AtS website of my essays and analyses. But fiction? First love, last to leave the safe protection of my hard drive.

I need to get over it and get stuff out there, and that's my current goal in life. I'm practicing with fanfic, and maybe I'll graduate to original fic when I'm ready.

But it's baby steps. I just found someone I wanted to rec The Destroyer to, and I didn't do it because I don't know her email. *Ack* I can even put the URL in her LJ!!?? So pathetic.

*sob*

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Academia makes a good background. One of my novels I'm working on now is set there, based loosely on my college and my friends which has made it harder to write than I thought.

I'm not sure I would have had the courage to leave a job for time to write full time though. ANd no, I still haven't been to your site because I'm a putz and can't remember anything

Fiction workshops, I haven't had a chance to do one of those in a long time. I've found some really helpful and others almost damaging (if you get one of those critics who love to destroy people)

That's good that you had a chance to work with an editor like that though. Generally in my groups if I have two or more bringing up the same point I figure they have a point. If I just have one person having a problem then I tend to look at it and decide if it has merit or not.

Speaking of reccing The Destroyer, I just pointed my former roomie at it. She's used to my obsession with the scrawny kid and I figured she'd enjoy it.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I didn't leave academia to write full time. I wish! I fell back on the good ol' computer science degree to get me a day job.

Then in between computer programs, I write. And on evenings and weekends.

Who needs a life, anyway?

The editor was the best critiquing experience because she was a professional writer. Not a novelist, but she teaches writing and writes herself. The workshops were helpful at the time I did them because I hadn't ever let a soul look at my fiction since high school.

At this point, I wouldn't workshop my novel, because I don't think another amateur's opinion would really make it worth the time. I just need to finish the damned thing and get it out there.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Ah, computer science, that'll put me in a brain-dead coma. Just thinking of it makes me scared. Me and computers don't get along and I'mjust glad to know people who actually understand these things

There is that, workshopping with amateurs. It can be a detriment some times but sometimes just having outside eyes really helps. In my writers groups I know who will give me help and who just doesn't get the genre

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

What's the genre of your original fic?

Mine is actually not genre stuff, unless you count lesbian fiction as a genre. It may also qualify as "women's fiction" because it emphasizes the exploration of personal relationships among women. But it's not sci fi or fantasy.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

it's a blend of horror and mystery. Mostly it's a mystery with most of the protagonists being vampires and werewolves (which like normal humans there are good and bad ones)

I think that technically lesbian fiction would be a genre maybe. I dunno. Certainly know it would raise eyebrows in a group for the most part or at least ones I've been part of. (couple of my characters are bi so I know the reactions I've gotten)

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

It never raised eyebrows in the writing groups I was in, but of course I was in SF. But those writing groups were pretty much all straight people, including the woman who helped me develop the fourth draft.

The idea that it would "raise eyebrows" just bores me. It's about people and their relationships, which I think is a universal theme. I've run out of patience for homophobia, probably because I don't have to deal with it much anymore, in life or on LJ. Maybe I'll just stay in SF! ; )

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. It bothered me a lot too. It's not like I even had a sex scene in there but the mere idea upset some of them (but for the most part the older group). Me, I have very little patience for any kind of prejudice (which might be why I stopped reading X-Men which is nothing but racial prejudice exploration done up in spandax)

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

You had some gay characters in a story?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Yep. In the vampire novel, one of the vampires is bi.

In a fantasy novel, one of the main characters is bi (his lover is strictly gay and they have a cadre of warriors based on the famous Greek one...who's name I can't call to mind just now but they're all gay and 'married' to their battle partners).

Had a pair of lesbians in a story that died an untimely death with a hard drive crash and no back up...sigh.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I believe that was the Spartans. Not absolutely sure, though.

You're not a 'slash' writer, are you? I have a few slash writer friends, but I have very mixed feelings about slash and the community of slash writers. I'm afraid if I go into my feelings in a public live journal forum, things might get flamey. Not because my feelings are so negative, they're not, but there are things I've noticed in the slash community that bother me as a gay person.

Anyway, I never got the impression you were a slash writer, just a person who has a gay character now and then, which is very different thing.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Well both Spartans and Athenians practiced a great deal of homosexuality in their armies (as did samuri's both believing it was a purer love than could be foun with the opposite sex from what i've read) BUt there is a specific cadre I had in mind. Oh well, they're who I modeled them after.

Nope, don't write slash. Don't even really like it for a variety of reasons (including a certain lack of knowledge in the m/m sex scenes especially) I read it for friends occasionally but that's about it. Wouldn't mind doing Tara/WIllow some day when I get a good plot but I don't consider them slash.

I do write homosexual characters however, as the need arises and some of my original characters are quite adamant about that aspect of their sexuality.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Well, for the Spartans, the Athenians, and the Samuri, as well as one or two female slash writers I know, m/m sex has become a new way of expressing their misogyny.

I haven't read much Willow/Tara or Willow/Kennedy, but that's only because I don't read much fanfic. Although I prefer Willow/Tara as a couple, I think I would read some post-Chosen Willow/Kennedy if I read anything at all, because it seems the one thing that could make fanfic appeal to me is my desire to see the show(s) go on past their final episodes.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Yes I've noticed that misogyny too.

Me, i'm pretty comfortable reading over most of the seasonal spectrum with some exceptions. I really do want to do Willow/Tara (not necessarily anything featuring their sex life, like we both noted, we'd rather write action) but I can't come up with a good plot.

I dislike Kennedy too much to use her. Well I'm using her in BUilt on Lies so I guess I do so occasionally but only as plot demands. I'd rather write her out.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I don't mind Kennedy all that much. I'm not such a huge Tara/Willow 'shipper that I objected to her out of hand (although I prefer Tara/Willow immeasurably). I know Kennedy's personality grated on people, but so did Connor's (and Rona's, and Buffy's, and...).

But I had some personal investment in Willow remaining lesbian after Season 6, and so that's the main reason I accepted Kennedy as a character. That, and Iyari Limon is really hot. ; )

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Kennedy definitely grated on me and I'll be honest, I found her unattractive. Didn't think Tara was greatly attractive either but she was sweet (and so is Amber for that matter. I greatly enjoyed meeting her).

Sometimes when I remove Kennedy I just have Willow stag, sometimes give her a new lesbian lover or on occasion Xander. I was a W/X shipper from way back but to be honest, I stopped liking Xander right about S3

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I liked Xander when he was funny, but mostly, he was a non-blip on my radar.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I loved him S1-2 but once we hit S3 and he started in on Buffy I started disliking him a lot. Oh he was still funny occasionally (and sadly Nicholas didnot make as good an impression on me as Amber)